The Republican journal., 1887-08-04
Letter from Dakotah.

Correspondence of the journal
MONANGO, Dickev Co., Neb. July !, 1884,
started from Leigh, Nebraska, june 22nd and
travelled as near north As the roads would per-
nit While there are Il few level farms and Il
fine black soil about Leigh, the black soil dis
appears before we reach the Elkhorn. The
south side of the Elkhorn Valley is bounded
by chain of sand hills. North of the Elkhorn
there is little black soil except in the valleys,
and more billy country have yet to nl
The farmers claim to raise good crops |
stopped the first night with Swete who had
about hundred head of cattle and more than
hundred hogs. Their accommodations were
FAR better than the average western farmers.
| usually got good water in this hilly region.
Land is worth from Sc to $40 per acre.
The ronvenicnces are wholly in keeping with
frontier life. | expected to find a good road
to the river ami some signs of II landing place.
Failing to find this drove nearly mile to the
nearest house 10 inquire where the ferry boat
landed. When returned the ferry boat wa-
on its way across | found it was steering
farther Up the river than expected, 50 NOV
Ell up river, although there was marshy place
between the road and river which extended
far up the stream. The boat landed behind the
mar>hy place 1nd was obliged to go up around
it and come down on the river bank on the
toughest lanl found i'll the western country.
! was just in season to drive on before they
started. The railing around the ferry was less
ii;I! four lcct high and If the horse had taken
4 'cap >hotiid have had 500 in the Missouri.
On the Rlkotah sid, there are no very steep
hills. There are many long rises. often more
than mile in length. The land is Il good.
black soil. and crops look Is well aS any where
iii Nchrask.. This whole region has not had
the necessary amount of rain this season to i'll.
sure good crops. think there was scarcely
drop of rain in Nebraska during the month Of
May. although they had plenty of it in he latter
part of June. Many people Were Offering stock
cheap on account of Il short crop of hay. The,
said good cows could he bought in Turner Go.
for so Freeman i -itttatcd in q level valley
10 or l., miles wide, but there is no stream
passing through it. This valley is settled
largely by Russians. There is some fine land
nrar 5ritlscWttcT, worth about so per acre
| saw some cine corn there; also some very
corn rcgi'nl. Feed for the horse will Soor
c"st tWireas mu"ha~ heretofore. The price OF
corn changes from 20 cents to 81 cents
For miles south of Salem the land is very
dry and uneven. In the northern part Of
Miner Go. there is some very good land. though
quite uneven or slightly hilly They said
some claims could he bought there for 5000.
II at hnr iat
Much of the land is too low for cultivation. vet
this section is well adapted to general farming.
passed some very good houses in the northern
part Of Clark Co. about six o'clock one night.
| thought it WAS the best part Of the day to
drive for another hour. | went over one little
hi and thcm ovcra larger one and then another
uaiii began to think it was little ,Ictaci-
mcnt of the Cocau Hills >trayed across the
Dakota River These hills are not as high a>
The totean' nor Is rocky, hut it is nearly as
hard chance to get put up for the night
This WAS tic first time | was bothered and
was obliged to ,lrVe until past Midnight before
iin,!in': supper on lodging. 4 compass and
moonlight allied me in finding the right trail
across pIoMed land and through Grain fields.
'iEi2 Dakota Valley j bounded Oh the east by
l;lin OF low hills g OF miles wide aud tn,
hills extend farther east Hear the line hptwccu
Clark MI king>hurN counties. North of these
hill, there l. excellent land a> far as Bristol Il
distance of about 10 miles. From Bristol
followed the railroad through the bills west t.
Andoyer. = thriving little town with fou,
elevators The land i very level but did not
look 50 moist and productive lis on the other
~i'eof the hills In the central part Of Brown
Co. | drove for miles over >li4iity rolling land
with line wheat fields each side of the road
\ farm here would cost several thousand dol
lars. They told me Brown Go. WAS very drv
last year and did not raise more than orS
bushels Of wheat per acre. But now north of
Columbia the grounli- all covered with water.
drove through water un to the horses knees
several tines. North Of Frcdcri, it began TO
he dry again and Dickey %. needs some of the
rain that Brown o. has to spare They told
me III Brown Go. that it had raintd a the
week, but where | was it did moi rain any until
saturday except one little shower. l intend tc
pause here in my journey for few months.
gro. NJ. COR.